What's New: A decade ago, when Nissan launched its sleek third generation Altima, it hedged a bet that many midsize sedan buyers want a more responsive, more fun-to-drive car. That Altima was stylish, responsive, and a real challenger to the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. By last year the Altima had become the second-best selling car in the U.S.

With success like that, it's no surprise Nissan didn't dramatically alter the Altima formula. The sleek and swoopy sheet metal is all new, but beneath that skin is largely the same Nissan global "D" architecture used on the outgoing car. The 2013 version rides on an identical 109.3-inch wheelbase but grows ever so slightly in length and track width. Here Nissan follows the path Toyota pioneered with the Camry—this is the first time a new Altima doesn't grow substantially. That's probably because automakers must keep weight down on future vehicles to help them meet upcoming fuel economy standards. In fact, the new Altima is 78 pounds lighter, and a lot of the savings comes from the increased use of high-strength steel and aluminum bumper beams.

To maintain the Altima's status as one of the sportiest midsize sedans, the team at Nissan benchmarked the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C Class, and Audi A4 as their targets for the new car's responsiveness—a tall order. They redesigned the rear multilink suspension and used upscale Sachs dampers. The team also designed "connect bushings" in the newly added lower link that allow the rear wheels to toe-in slightly and control camber, too. It's a more sophisticated rear suspension than many midsizers have.

The hybrid is gone for 2013, and every Altima uses a CVT. To help boost efficiency, 70 percent of the CVTs in both the four-cylinder model (using a belt-drive CVT) and V-6 (using a stronger chain-drive CVT) are all-new. These CVTs use reformulated oil and use less of it in the case, which improves pumping efficiencies and fuel economy.

Nissan redesigned the base four-cylinder to include variable valve timing on both camshafts and a lighter intake manifold. The 2.5-liter gets a boost of 7 hp to 182 and yet delivers (according to Nissan) a whopping 38 mpg on the highway. That's better than the old hybrid—and better than any of Nissan's competitors. We'll have to test that number on our own to see if we can hit it. The venerable 3.5-liter "VQ" V-6 is largely the same as before. Nissan says it didn't opt for a turbocharged four-cylinder like some competitors because of the V-6's prodigious torque, but we suspect it might be because this V-6 will appear as the standard engine in the next Maxima—a car that currently shares the same basic bones. Regardless, the V-6 should make the new Altima one of the quickest cars in the class.

The new Altima packs plenty of optional tech, including Blind Spot Warning, Lane Departure Warning, and Moving Object Detection. But you won't need to break the bank to get some very useful tech. Every Altima comes with standard Bluetooth, and Nissan has made its navigation system an option for just $590. That's a great deal.

Tech Tidbit: Stability control is so last year. The trend now is to add more subtle handling assistance using the basic bones of the stability control system. Nissan says the Altima's new Active Understeer Control will brake the inside front wheel proactively in situations where it anticipates the car will push through a corner.

Driving Character: The new Altima is one of the sportiest cars in a sedate crowd. Our V-6, $30,080, 3.5 SL model reminded us more of Nissan's flagship Maxima sedan than of any Altimas before it. This is the top of the Altima range and comes optioned like an Infiniti, with just about every extra, including a heated steering wheel. The chassis tuning of the V-6 Altima is slightly firmer than that of the four-cylinder cars; it really adds to the car's agility.

The chassis is athletic and capable of generating quite a bit of grip, thanks in part to the standard 18-inch tires on V-6 cars. The steering is assisted electrically, but it doesn't feel artificially boosted as some do. However some drivers might find the steering effort to be a bit heavy at lower speeds.

The Altima's V-6 might be unchanged from last year, but it pulls strongly from a stoplight, perhaps because of the more aggressive off-the-line gearing in the CVT. On the highway, the mood is more relaxed. The Altima loafs along at 1600 rpm at 65 mph. It's a quiet ride on the freeway, as Nissan engineered the headliner, carpeting, and floormats for noise absorption. The Altima is quite comfy; the suspension might be sporty but it's not overly stiff. And the interior materials are softest in the most important places, such the center console where our right elbow always rests on a long trip. Speaking of trips, the new color driver-information center between the speedometer and tach (standard on all Altimas) is 4 inches across and will provide navigation instructions, audio information, and even a cool animation of the car itself.

Driver's Grievance: Yes, the CVT provides a seamless thrust of power, especially in V-6 cars, and increased efficiency. But—call us Luddites—we like real gear changes. We'd prefer to have the option of a manual transmission or a more rewarding dual-clutch transmission in a car that bills itself as the enthusiast's choice in the midsize class.

The Bottom Line: The new Altima remains one of the most engaging family sedans, and now its fuel economy approaches 40 mpg on the highway. At that level, Nissan should have no problem attracting the most frugal family-sedan buyers. If you can get hybrid fuel economy without the cost of the battery packs and electric motors, why pay for them?

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